Water ski towrope reel

ABSTRACT

A winding reel assembly including a rotatable winding member including appreciably different major and minor dimensions in right angularly disposed directions in a plane extending generally normal to the axis of rotation of the winding member and a mounting assembly for the winding member whereby its axis of rotation may be angularly displaced approximately 90* or a greater or lesser amount as desired.

United States Patent Bullock *Feb. 1, 1972 [54] WATER SKI TOWROPE REEL2,498,799 2/1950 Erickson ..242/100 2,575,588 11/1951 Fritts.......242/100 X [721 3' 3? d B- ggg RdgewaY 2,964,258 12/1960 Kutil..242/106 8 a 1 3,215,361 11/1965 Jones, Jr. ..242/106 x 1 Notice: Theportion of the term of this patent subsequent to Feb 1, 1987, has beenFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS claimed. 528,149 10/1940 Great Britain.242/86 [22] Filed: Mar. 9, 1967 989,711 4/1965 Great Brltam ..242/86[21] App1.No.: 621,820 Primary Examiner-Stanley N.GilreathAttorney-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson [52] 11.8. C1...242/l06, 242/865 A [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ....B65h 75/38, B65h75/40 [58] Field of Search ..242/106, 104, as, 86, 86.5, A winding reelassembly including a rotatable winding 242/865 A 1OO,H5;114/235 wsmember including appreciably difierent major and minor dimensions inright angularly disposed directions in a plane ex- 56] References Citedtending generally normal to the axis of rotation of the winding memberand a mountmg assembly for the wmdmg member UNITED STATES PATENTSwhereby its axis of rotation may be angularly displaced approximately 90or a greater or lesser amount as desired. 1,564,985 12/1925 Stomberg..242/86 1 .726.084 8/ 1929 Montgomery ..242/86 UX 5 Claims, 8 DrawingFigures M 36' 22 g I Q /6 l0.h I

I 62 1 30 t 3 A l I 5 Q 32 80 Q 3 44 74 52 78 -ms 4 WATER SKI TOWROPEREEL This invention relates to a novel and useful winding reel assemblyand more specifically to a reel assembly adapted to be utilized in aboat for the purpose of readily winding and storing a water ski towropeor the like. Although the winding reel assembly of the instant inventioncould be utilized in conjunction with other elongated flexible memberssuch as anchor ropes and also elongated flexible members utilized indifierent environments, the winding reel of the instant invention isbelieved to have particular adaptation for use in winding and storing awater ski towrope.

The winding reel assembly includes a rotatably mounted winding membercomprising only a pair of opposite side elongated members extendinggenerally diametrically of the axis of rotation of the winding memberand having cross brace members secured between the opposite end portionsthereof on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the winding memberabout which the associated elongated flexible member may be wound uponrotation of the winding member. The winding member is rotatablysupported by means of a pivot shaft journaled through the opposite sidelongitudinal members centrally intermediate their opposite ends and thepivot shaft, comprising a support member from which the winding memberis journaled, is supported from any suitable form of base member forangular displacement relative thereto between two limit positions.Further, means is operatively connected between the pivot shaft and thebase member for selectively urging the pivot shaft toward its limitpositions of angular displacement upon angular displacement of the pivotshaft toward either limit position from a center position disposedintermediate the limit positions.

The main object of this invention is to provide a winding reel assemblyspecifically adapted for use in winding and storing water ski towropesand which may be utilized to quickly reel in and pay out a water skitowrope and also to store the water ski towrope in a compact mannerafter the towrope has been reeled in.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a winding reel assembly constructed in amanner whereby it may be conveniently mounted in numerous locationswithin a boat.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a winding reel assembly in accordance with the precedingobjects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be ofsimple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that willbe economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary elevational view of one side of a boatillustrating the manner in which the winding reel assembly of theinstant invention may be operatively mounted from a sheer coaming;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upona plane designated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the assemblage illustratedin FIG. 2 as seen from the right side thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to that of FIG.3 but illustrating a modified form of winding reel assembly;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 6 as seen from the right side thereof and with portions of thepivot shaft and winding member being broken away and illustrated invertical section and the trim cover of the assembly illustrated inphantom lines; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a second modifiedform of winding reel assembly of the instant inventron.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a boat hull including an upstanding side 12 and a sheercoaming 14. The winding reel assembly of the instant invention isgenerally referred to by the reference numeral 16 and includes amounting bracket or base referred to in general by the reference numeral18. The base 18 includes a pair of upstanding generally parallel andvertically disposed plates 20 having corresponding upper longitudinaledge portions suitably fixed to a horizontally elongated and verticallydisposed cross plate 22 at points spaced longitudinally therealong andinwardly of the opposite ends thereof. Further, an L-shaped plate member24 including a large vertical flange 26 and a short horizontal flange 28is provided. The lower portions of the longitudinal edge portions of theplates 20 secured to the cross plate 22 are secured along the oppositeside edge portions of the vertical flange 26 in any convenient mannerand the horizontal flange 28 projects outwardly sway from the side ofthe vertical flange 26 remote from the plates 20 and is generallyhorizontally aligned with the lower ends of the plates 20.

A suitable pivot shaft 30 is secured between the lower ends of theplates 20 in any convenient manner and in spaced relation to the lowerend of the vertical flange 26 on the side thereof remote from thehorizontal flange 28 and the hooked end 32 of a pivot shaft 34 isrotatably journaled on the pivot shaft 30 and swingable between theoperative position illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings with the shaft34 abutting the undersurface of the horizontal flange 28, and aninoperative position illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and byphantom lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

A transverse anchor pin 36 is secured across the vertical edge portionsof the plates 20 remote from the cross plate 22 in any convenient mannersuch as by welding and the opposite ends of the anchor pin 36 projectoutwardly beyond the corresponding plates 20 and are provided withcircumferential grooves 38 in which the hooked ends 40 of a pair ofelongated expansion springs 42 are removably seated. A similar anchorpin 44 is carried by the pivot shaft 34 adjacent the hooked end 32 andalso includes opposite end portions which are provided withcircumferential grooves 46, the other pair of hooked ends 48 of theexpansion springs 42 being removably seated in the grooves 46.

The cross plate 22 has a pair of threaded apertures 50 formed in itsopposite ends and the upper end of the vertical flange 26 has a threadedaperture 52 formed therein, see FIG. 4. A pair of headed threadedfasteners 54 are secured through the coaming I4 and threadedly engagedin the apertures 50 while a single fastener 56 is also secured throughthe coaming l4 and threadedly engaged in the threaded aperture 52 thussecuring the base or bracket 18 to the coaming 14.

The expansion springs 42 may be of the type including abuttingconvolutions when fully retracted so as to enable the springs 42 toestablish a limit position of movement of the pivot shaft 34 to theinoperative or stored position thereof illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

A winding member generally referred to by the reference numeral 60 isprovided and includes a pair of elongated generally parallel oppositeside members 62 which may be formed of any suitable bar stock. Theopposite side members 62 are interconnected at corresponding oppositeend portions by means of transverse brace members 64 and 66 extendingand secured between the opposite side members 62. The pivot shaft 34 isrotatably received through a pair of aligned bores 68 formed through theopposite side members 62 centrally intermediate their opposite ends andthe winding member 60 is retained on the pivot shaft 34 by means of asuitable threaded fastener 70 threadedly engaged with the externallythreaded terminal end portion 72 of the pivot shaft 34, the latterincluding a stop washer 74 adjacent the anchor pin 44.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings it may be seen that the pivot shaft 34 maybe acted upon by the springs 42 in a manner urging the pivot shaft 34 toeither the limit position thereof illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2of the drawings or the limit position thereof illustrated in phantomlines in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Accordingly, when it is desired to winda water ski towrope such as towrope 76, see FIG. 1, on the windingmember 60, the towrope 76 may be engaged with the winding member 60 whenthe latter is either in its operative position or its stored position.Thereafter, the pivot shaft 34 may be swung to the position thereofillustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings and the handle member 78 mountedon an extended end portion of a further transverse brace member 80secured between the end portions of the longitudinal members 62 remotefrom the transverse brace member 64 may be grasped to crank the windingmember 60 about the pivot shaft 34. Of course, this will cause the waterski towrope 76 to be wound about the transverse members 64 and 80. Afterthe towrope 76 has been fully wound on the winding member 60, the pivotshaft 34 may be pivoted to the dotted line position thereof illustratedin FIG. 2 of the drawings so as to store the winding member, having thetowrope 76 wound thereon, in position generally paralleling and closelyadjacent the inner surface of the side 12 of the boat 10.

If it is desired, one end of the water ski towrope 76 may besemipermanently anchored to the transverse brace member 64 and thetowrope 76 may be provided with a suitable stop member or the likespaced from the winding member 60 for abutting engagement with a bridleassembly or the like carried by the rear end of the boat whereby thepull of the water skier on the free end of the water ski towrope willnot be transferred to the boat through the winding member 60 but throughthe stop member and the aforementioned bridle member. Still further, theend of the towrope 76 may be readily releasably engaged with the windingmember 60 and provided with any suitable means for ready attachment to asuitable anchor or bridle assembly carried by the rear end of the boatwhen the towrope 76 is in use.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIGS. 6 and 7 of thedrawings there will be seen a modified form of winding reel assemblygenerally referred to by the reference numeral 86 including a base ormounting bracket generally referred to by the reference numeral 88. Themounting bracket 88 includes a baseplate 90 which may be secured to anysuitable supporting surface 92 by means of threaded fasteners 94 andwhich has a pair of perpendicularly outstanding and generally parallelplates 96 secured thereto corresponding to the plates 20. A pivot shaft98 corresponding to the pivot shaft 30 is secured between the plates 96and a joining strip 100 is secured over the outer edges of the plates 96in any convenient manner such as by welding and to the upper edgeportion of the plate 90 which is notched as at 102 to receive the upperend of the joining strip 100. Further, a lower joining strip 104 issecured between the lower marginal edge portions of the plates 96 and tothe lower edge of the baseplate 90, the latter being notched as at 106to receive the lower end of the joining plate 104. The adjacent ends ofthe plates 100 and 102 define a throat 108 therebetween and a pivotshaft 110 corresponding to the pivot shaft 34 and having a windingmember generally referred to by the reference numeral 112 andcorresponding to the winding member 60 journaled thereon is pivotallysupported from the pivot shaft 30, the ad jacent ends of the joiningstrips 100 and 104 defining abutment edges with which the pivot shaft110 is engageable to define the limit positions of angular displacementthereof illustrated in solid and phantom lines in FIG. 6 of thedrawings. Of course, the pivot shaft 110 includes an anchor pin 114corresponding to the anchor pin 44 and the base or bracket 88 includesan anchor pin 116 secured through the plates 96 corresponding to theanchor pin 36, a pair of expansion springs 118 corresponding to theexpansion springs 42 being secured between corresponding end portions ofthe anchor pins 114 and 116.

In order to provide the winding reel assembly 86 with a more pleasingappearance, any suitable cosmetic cover such as that generallydesignated by the reference numeral 120 may be provided and secured tothe surface 92 by means of suitable fasteners 122.

With reference now more specifically to FIG. 8 of the drawings therewill be seen a further modified form of winding reel assembly generallyreferred to by the reference numeral 126 and which includes a base ormounting bracket generally referred to by the reference numeral 128. Thebracket 128 includes a pair of parallel plates 130 corresponding toplates 20 and 96 and which are secured to and project outwardly from oneside of a base member 132 adapted to be secured to any suitablesupporting surface. The plates 130 have a pivot shaft 134 correspondingto pivot shafts 30 and 98 secured therebetween and a pivot shaft 136corresponding to pivot shafts 34 and 110 is pivotally mounted on thepivot shaft 134.

An anchor pin 138 is secured through and projects from the remote sidesof the plates 130 and corresponds to the anchor pins 36 and 116 and asecond anchor pin 140 corresponding to the anchor pins 44 and 1 14 iscarried by the pivot shaft 130, a pair of expansion springs 142 beingconnected between pairs of corresponding end portions of the abutmentpins 138 and 140. A joining plate 144 corresponding to the joining plateor strap 100 is secured between the free edge portions of the plates 30and defines an abutment face 146 which is engageable by the pivot pin136 to limit movement of the latter in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 8 of the drawings to the solid line position thereof andthe anchor pin 141) is abuttingly engageable with the end edges 130 ofthe plates 130 to limit swinging movement of the pivot shaft 36 to thedotted line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A winding reel assembly for elongated tension members such as ropes,said reel assembly comprising a support member, a winding memberrotatably journaled from said support member for rotation about an axisstationarily positioned relative to said support member, a base, meansmovably mounting said support member from said base for angulardisplacement of said axis relative to said base, said support member andsaid base including means establishing limits of movement of saidsupport member and thus angular displacement of said axis relative tosaid base, rneans operatively connected between said support member andsaid base operative to yieldingly urge said support member toward thecorresponding limit position on either side of a center position ofmovement of said support member in response to movement of said supportmember in either direction from said center position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the last mentioned means supportssaid support member from said base for angular displacement relative tothe latter through an arc of at least 90. I

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said winding member includes apair of elongated generally parallel side members transversely of whosecentral portions said axis extends, corresponding pairs of opposite endportions of said elongated side members being interconnected by means ofelongated transverse brace members extending therebetween and includingremote surface portions spaced generally equally from and disposed onopposite sides of said axis.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a boat provided with a planarinner surface, said base being supported from said boat in a position inwhich said axis, when said support member is in one limit position, isdisposed adjacent and generally parallels said surface and is swung atleast toward a position disposed generally normal to said surface whensaid support member is in the other limit position.

5. A winding reel assembly for elongated tension members such as rope,said reel assembly including a support member and a winding memberrotatably journaled from said support member about an axis stationarilypositioned relative to said support member, said winding member being inthe form of a thin rectangular frame of a length at least twice itswidth, said axis of rotation being disposed centrally intermediate theopposite ends of said frame and extending transversely of the latterwith said axis generally contained in the central medial plane of theframe, a base, means movably mounting said support member from said basefor angular displacement of said support member about a second axisdisposed normal to the first axis and spaced slightly outwardly of oneside of said frame, said support member and said base including meansestablishing limits of movement of said support member and thus angulardisplacement of said axis relative to said base, means operativelyconnected between said support member and said base operative toyieldingly urge said support member toward the corresponding limitposition on either side of a center position of movement of said supportmember in response to movement of said support member in eitherdirection from said center position.

1. A winding reel assembly for elongated tension members such as ropes,said reel assembly comprising a support member, a winding memberrotatably journaled from said support member for rotation about an axisstationarily positioned relative to said support member, a base, meansmovably mounting said support member from said base for angulardisplacement of said axis relative to said base, said support member andsaid base including means establishing limits of movement of saidsupport member and thus angular displacement of said axis relative tosaid base, means operatively connected between said support member andsaid base operative to yieldingly urge said support member toward thecorresponding limit position on either side of a center position ofmovement of said support member in response to movement of said supportmember in either direction from said center position.
 2. The combinationof claim 1 wherein the last mentioned means supports said support memberfrom said base for angular displacement relative to the latter throughan arc of at least 90*.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein saidwinding member includes a pair of elongated generally parallel sidemembers transversely of whose central portions said axis extends,corresponding pairs of opposite end portions of said elongated sidemembers being interconnected by means of elongated transverse bracemembers extending therebetween and including remote surface portionsspaced generally equally from and disposed on opposite sides of saidaxis.
 4. The combination of claim 1 including a boat provided with aplanar inner surface, said base being supported from said boat in aposition in which said axis, when said support member is in one limitposition, is disposed adjacent and generally parallels said surface andis swung at least toward a position disposed generally normal to saidsurface when said support member is in the other limit position.
 5. Awinding reel assembly for elongated tension members such as rope, saidreel assembly including a support member and a winding member rotatablyjournaled from said support member about an axis stationarily positionedrelative to said support member, said winding member being in the formof a thin rectangular frame of a length at least twice its width, saidaxis of rotation being disposed centrally intermediate the opposite endsof said frame and extending transversely of the latter with said axisgenerally contained in the central medial plane of the frame, a base,means movably mounting said support member from said base for angulardisplacement of said support member about a second axis disposed normalto the first axis and spaced slightly outwardly of one side of saidframe, said support member and said base including means establishinglimits of movement of said support member and thus angular displacementof said axis relative to said base, means operatively connected betweensaid support member and said base operative to yieldingly urge saidsupport member toward the corresponding limit position on either side ofa center position of movement of said support member in response tomovement of said support member in either direction from said centerposition.